Following the crisis that befell Nigeria’s goalkeeping after Super Eagles No. 1, Carl Ikeme was diagnosed with leukemia, other goalkeepers have tried to fill in the huge gap the Wolverhampton’s man left. Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr, thinks one in particular has done well enough to deserves a start for Nigeria in their first World Cup game against Croatia.
Francis Uzoho
Coach Rohr told the CSN in Abuja that he thinks Francis Uzoho will do quite well for Nigeria at the World Cup if he’s given the chance.
“I don’t think goalkeeping is the weak link in my team… After we lost Carl Ikeme to sickness, we had what seemed like a goalkeeping crisis but Ikechukwu Ezenwa did well in the qualifiers but we kept looking for options. Francis Uzoho came as an option because to go to the World cup, you require two good goalkeepers and I must say he has done well in the three games he has played for the Super Eagles that I won’t be afraid to start him in our opening game against Croatia at the World Cup in Russia.
“Francis is good and tall, and he is ready to learn. He did well in the friendly games against Argentina and Poland with two clean sheets and conceded two goals against Serbia in his third game in which I experimented with some players and tactics. I don’t believe he will get stage fright playing against the likes of Messi and other big names in Russia, because after playing against the likes of Lewandowski of Poland, Aguero and Di Maria of Argentina, I am optimistic that he would rise to the occasion in Russia.”
— Rohr
Rohr also stated that he would submit his 35-man team list for the World Cup to the NFF on May 4.
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